2025 Shakopee Fire Department Year in Review

FIRE DEPARTMENT DIVISIONS

TRAINING The Training Division, led by Deputy Chief Dave Giddings, plays a crucial role in ensuring that firefighters are well-prepared to handle a wide range of emergencies. It’s responsible for maintaining the competency and readiness of the fire

department’s personnel, ensuring that they are prepared to protect the community and their duties encompass:

■ Providing Initial and Ongoing Training ■ Ensuring Compliance with Standards ■ Developing and Updating Training Programs ■ Promoting Safety ■ Specialized Training

Shakopee Fire personnel engage in a high-fidelity EMS training simulation to practice the critical skills and specialized care required for emergency field deliveries.

Shakopee Fire and SandVenture lifeguards perform joint training for water emergencies.

FIRE PREVENTION AND PUBLIC EDUCATION

Under the direction of Fire Marshal Tom Pitschneider, the Fire Prevention and Public Education Division focuses on proactively reducing the occurrence and impact of fires and other emergencies. This division aims to prevent fires and other emergencies from happening in the first place and educate the public on how to stay safe in the event of an emergency. By combining proactive prevention measures with public education, we can significantly reduce the number of fires and injuries in the community. Here’s a breakdown of the division’s key functions: Fire Prevention: ■ Inspections: – Conducting inspections of commercial and residential buildings to identify and correct fire hazards. – Enforcing fire codes and regulations. ■ Plan Review: – Reviewing building plans to ensure they meet fire safety standards. ■ Hazard Assessment: – Identifying and mitigating potential fire hazards within the community. Public Education: ■ Community Outreach: – Providing educational programs to schools, businesses, and community groups on fire safety topics. – Distributing fire safety information and materials. ■ Fire Safety Training: – Teaching people how to prevent fires, how to react in case of a fire, and how to use fire extinguishers. – Promoting the importance of smoke detectors and escape plans. ■ Risk Reduction:

– Working to reduce the community’s risk of many hazards, not just fire, but also things like falls, and other home safety.

8 | Shakopee Fire Department